Vacuum cleaner air valve



y 1956 c. E. HANSEN 2,754,048

VACUUM CLEANER AIR VALVE Filed Sept. 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 10, 1956' c. E. HANSEN VACUUM CLEANER AIR VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16. 1954 United States PatentOflice 2,754,048 Patented July 10, 1956 VACUUM CLEANER A111 VALVE Clarence Ellegaard Hansen, Chicago, 111., assignor to Birtman Electric Company, a corporation of Illinois Application September 16, 1954, Serial No. 456,370

3 Claims. (Cl. 230-47) This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner.

Many vacuum cleaners are adapted to provide means for attaching an air conduit to the exhaust of the cleaner to operate as an air blower in distributing moth proofing chemicals, operating a paint sprayer and for other uses where a relatively strong blast of air is desired. The vacuum cleaner of this invention provides an improved apparatus for rapidly converting the cleaner from an ordinary suction cleaning device to an air blower.

The vacuum cleaner of this invention comprises an air passage including an exhaust port adapted to releasably receive an exhaust air conduit, a transverse wall member spaced from the port having an air permeable portion, a movable valve member having an air permeable portion normally spaced from the wall to provide for exhaust air flow therebetween, with the valve member permeable portion being substantially enclosed by the end of the air conduit when the conduit is inserted into the port to press the valve member inwardly into operative engagement wtih the wall member, and means substantially effectively sealing the valve and wall members together outwardly of the permeable portions when the members are in this engagement to direct air through the permeable portions and into the conduit.

The invention will be described as related to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the exhaust end of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the vacuum cleaner used as a blower.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view, taken substantially along line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view, taken substantially along line 44 of Fig. 1, and partially broken away for clarity of illustration.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the vacuum cleaner is of the tank type comprising an elongated shell having a suction air intake (not shown) at the forward end and an air exhaust at the rear end. This rear end comprises an end cap 11 provided with exhaust air openings 11a and with an inwardly directed tubular member 12 whose inner cylindrical surface 12a describes an exhaust port.

Mounted within the shell 10 is a motor and fan unit of conventional construction comprising a multi-stage fan 13 and an electric motor 14 attached to the rear thereof to form a unit. This motor and fan unit is supported by means of an outwardly extending dish-shaped bafiie 15 having its outer edge adjacent to the inner surface of the shell 10 and provided with a rubber gasket 16 held within clamping bands 17 extending around the inner surface of the shell 10. The motor and fan unit mounting is described in greater detail and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 458,597, filed September 27, 1954.

Extending across the cleaner at the rear portion thereof between the motor 14 and the tubular member 12 and inwardly of the end cap 11 there is provided a transverse wall member 18. This wall member 18 is provided with a plurality of air openings 18a to describe an air perme able portion. Located outwardly of these openings and extending rearwardly of the Wall member 18 is a substantially circular rearwardly extending ridge 18b.

Mounted on the wall member 18 around the outside of the ridge 18b are three substantially parallel pins 19. Slidably mounted on these pins is a movable valve member plate 20 provided with three outwardly extending ears 20a each engaging a pin. This valve member plate 20 is normally urged against the inner end of the tubular member 12 by means of a conical compression spring 21 around each pin 19 and extending between the wall member 18 and the valve plate 20. The plate 20 is also provided with a plurality of air openings 20b also describing an air permeable portion. These openings 20b are all within the confines of the tubular member 12 when the plate 20 is pressed against the tubular member by the springs 21.

With the above construction and when the cleaner is operated to perform its usual cleaning function, air from the fan 13 flows rearwardly through the motor 14 to cool the motor and then through the relatively large wall member openings 18a and then between the wall member 18 and valve member 20, through the end cap openings 11a and also through the valve member openings 20b and the exhaust port 12a. With this arrangement the exhaust air flows through an exhaust passage of relatively large area so that the back pressure is kept at a minimum. This reduction of back pressure increases the efliciency of the cleaner.

The tubular member 12 forming the exhaust port 12a is provided on the inner surface thereof with a circular groove 12b of annular shape opening inwardly of the tubular member 12.

When the cleaner is to be operated as a blower, an air exhaust pipe 22 is inserted into the tubular member 12 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. This exhaust pipe is releasably locked in position by means of a conventional spring urged latch 23 having a finger operating button 23a on the exterior of the cleaner and a catch 33b adapted to be held in the groove 12b. With this construction, which is conventional, the air exhaust pipe 22 is removably held in the tubular member 12 until the button 23a is depressed to remove the catch 23b from the groove 12b. At this time the pipe can be removed. As can be seen, the circular groove 12b permits the pipe 22 to be rotated within the tubular member 12 when being withdrawn therefrom.

When the exhaust pipe 22 is inserted in the tubular member 12 in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the inner end pipe compresses the valve member 20 against the ridge 18b to form an effective seal therewith. When this occurs the air that normally flows around the outer circumference of the valve plate 20 and out the end cap openings 11a is then substantially entirely directed inwardly and through the plate openings 20b into the air exhaust pipe 22. As this pipe is of relatively small cross sectional area the exhaust air will be forced through this pipe it relatively great linear speed to provide a strong air last.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a casing wall hav ing an exhaust port adapted releasably to receive the end of an exhaust air conduit; a transverse partition spaced inwardly of said port having an air permeable portioh'of an'areaconsiderably larger than the internal area of said conduit end; a movable valve plate having an airpermeable portion normally spaced from the partition and against the inner end of said exhaust port to provide for exhaust air flow therebetween, the valve plate permeable ortion being aligned with said exhaust port and being substantially enclosed by the end of said air conduit when the conduit is inserted in said port to press the valve plate inwardly into operative engagement with said partition; spring means urging said valve plate away from said partition; and means etiectively sealing the valve plate and partition together radially outwardly of said permeable portions when the plate and partition are in said engagement to direct air through the permeable portions and into said conduit, said partition being provided with a plurality of substantially parallel pins extending toward said casing wall, the valve plate being slidably mounted on said pins, and the spring means includes a helical spring around each pin positioned between said partition and said plate.

2. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a casing wall having an exhaust port adapted releasably to receive the end of an exhaust air conduit; a transverse partition spaced inwardly of said port having an air permeable portion of an area considerably larger than the internal area of said conduit end; a movable valve plate having an air permeable portion normally spaced from the partition and against the inner end of said exhaust port to provide for exhaust air flow therebetween, the valve plate permeable portion being aligned with said exhaust port and being substantially enclosed by the end of said air conduit when the conduit is inserted in said port to press the valve plate inwardly into operative engagement with said partition; spring means urging said valve plate away from said partition; and means effectively sealing the valve plate and partition together radially outwardly of said permeable portions when the plate and partition are'in said engagement to direct air through the permeable portions and into said conduit; said sealingmeans including a circular ridge on said partition extending toward said casing wall and against which said valve plate is pressed when said air conduit is in position within said port.

3. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a casing wall having an air port adapted releasably to receive the end of an air conduit; a transverse partition spaced inwardly of said port having anair permeable portion of an area larger than the internal area of said conduit end; a movable valve plate having an air permeable portion normally spaced from the partition and adjacent to the inner end of said port'to'provide for air flow therebetween, the valve plate permeable portion being aligned with aid port and being substantially enclosed by the end of said air conduit when the conduit is inserted in said port to press the valve plate inwardly into operative engagement with said partition; spring means urging said valve plate away from said partition; and means effectively sealing the valve plate and partition together radially outwardly of said permeable portions'when the plate and partition are in said engagement to place the permeable portions and said'conduit in air flow relationship; said partition being provided with a plurality of spaced guide means each substantially surrounded by a spring means extending toward said'ca'sing wall on which said valve plate is movably mounted for said movement toward and away from said partition.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,182,343 Lofgren Dec. 5, 1939 2,240,543 Brown May 6, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 308,933 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1929 

